1) VEGANS KNOW HOW TO PARTY!

OVER 465 VEGANS RECIPES, INCLUDING DESSERTS, APPETIZERS, AND MAIN
DISHES
By Nancy Berkoff.

Just back from the printer is Chef Nancy Berkoff's new book VEGANS
KNOW HOW TO PARTY, Over 465 Vegan Recipes, Including Desserts,
Appetizers, and Main Dishes.

Vegans Know How to Party makes a great holiday gift, plus purchase
helps support our vegetarian outreach. Order four copies and we will
send these to you at half price. One copy is $25. Four copies are $50.
We pay postage.

Or call (410) 366-8343 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern Time and we
will be happy to take your order over the phone!

In this 384-page 8 1/2 X 11 book with color photographs, Chef Berkoff
shows you how to put on a party for vegans and those who enjoy great
food. Vegan Desserts include pies, tarts, cakes, cupcakes, quick
breads, muffins, sauces, frostings, cookies, parfaits, puddings,
cobblers, frozen treats, and more.

Nancy gives us lessons on preparing vegan "ricotta," veloute,
demiglaze, and béchamel. Sections include Using Vegan Ingredients,
Basic Party Planning, Egg Substitutes, Napkin Folding, and Hiring
Entertainment. Additional chapters feature Entertaining Children,
Cooking for A Crowd, Secrets of Cooking Large Amounts of Foods, and
Sample Recipe Conversion from a small recipe to a large recipe and
visa versa.

Working with a Caterer includes finding a caterer, catering concerns,
helpful hints for vegetarian catering, food safety suggestions, label
reading, and upscale menus. Also helpful is Party Planning for People
with Diabetes.

Vegans Know How to Party has great recipes, but is certainly a
reference book you'll want to have around to answer all those vegan
cooking questions. Your purchase will liven your parties, as well as
support our vegetarian outreach.

THERE'S MORE TO A PARTY THAN DESSERTS.
Nancy also shares the basics in this new book like
stuffed grape leaves
baked "chicken" fingers
chips of all types
BBQ sauce
veggie sloppy Joes
stuffed manicotti
vegan cheeseball
raspberry vinaigrette
ranch dressing
and numerous other common party dishes....

Appetizers and main dishes span from Arepas, Gulai Daun Bayem (spinach
in coconut milk), and pierogi, to asparagus with lime and onion
dressing, mustard crusted tofu salad, and Octoberfest roulades. And
for winter parties, warm up the guests with Komenymagos Leves (Caraway
Seed Soup), Potage Crecy, and Roasted Two Pepper Soup.

To order Vegans Know How to Party send $25 for one copy or $50 for four
copies, including shipping, to The Vegetarian Resource Group, P.O. Box
1463, Baltimore, MD 21203, or call (410) 366-8343.

4) REPORT FROM NATURAL PRODUCTS EXPO EAST

By Reed Mangels

Imagine more than 1,700 booths packed with the latest natural foods,
supplements, and health and beauty aids. Picture aisle after aisle
full of opportunities to taste organic chips, sparkling fruit juices,
gluten-free cookies, whole-grain crackers, and more. This is Natural
Products Expo East
[ http://www.expoeast.com/expoeast2010/public/enter.aspx ] (NPEE) -
the largest natural products trade show on the East Coast.

I spent a long, pleasant day at NPEE last weekend and wanted to share
some of the most interesting vegan products that I found.

Tasting new plant milks seemed like a good way to start the day.

Earth Balance (the company that makes vegan margarine) has introduced
a new line of fortified, organic soymilk. Fortified with calcium,
vitamin D2, riboflavin, vitamin B12, and small amounts of vitamin A,
zinc, and selenium, this soymilk's nutritional profile is similar to
other fortified soymilks. I thought it tasted similar to other brands
of soymilk. It is the first soymilk certified by the Non-GMO Project
and is made from soybeans grown in the US. Earth Balance Soymilk comes
in original, vanilla, chocolate, and unsweetened flavors and is sold
in refrigerated cartons. [ http://earthbalancenatural.com/soymilk/ ]

I first tried hemp milk about five years ago and did not like it at
all. I was pleasantly surprised by Manitoba Harvest's Hemp Bliss which
tastes mild much like my more usual soymilk. This hemp beverage comes
in four flavors -- original, vanilla, chocolate, and unsweetened. It's
fortified with calcium and has omega-3's. As far as I know, this is
the only organic hemp milk on the market. Since it's low in protein,
vitamin D, and vitamin B12 it would not be my first choice as a
primary beverage but it's a nice addition to the plant milk shelf.
[ http://jointheblissrevolution.com/ ]

After working up an appetite walking the miles of aisles, it was time
to sample some entrees.

In contrast to past years, very few veggie burgers were featured. I
did find a 100% organic vegan burger made with quinoa, flax, and
vegetables. Ashera's Gourmet Vegan Burgers are soy and gluten free and
taste like what they are -- grains and vegetables. I found this burger
to be a refreshing change from burgers that are trying to taste like
beef. [ http://www.asherahsgourmet.com ]

A vendor, seeing my Vegetarian Resource Group badge, told me I had to
check out a booth several aisles over. I was glad I did. Sophie's
Kitchen features vegan seafood based on konjac, a starch made from the
root of an Asian plant. I tried breaded vegan shrimp which tasted the
way that I remember fried shrimp tasting. Other products include vegan
calamari, vegan prawn, and vegan squid ring. My daughters who have
never eaten seafood enjoyed this product also.
[ http://sophieskitchen.net/ ]

EVOL Burritos produce several frozen vegan products. I tried a mini
Veggie Fajita (3 ounces, 160 calories). A whole wheat tortilla was
filled with red and green bell peppers, brown rice, black beans, corn,
and seasonings. This tasty burrito would be a big hit in a lunchbox.
For larger appetites they have full-size burritos filled with either
veggies or a tofu and spinach saut&eacute; and wraps filled with
curried tofu and vegetables or couscous, chickpeas, and vegetables.
[ http://evolfoods.com/ ]

Follow Your Heart (the makers of Vegenaise and Vegan Gourmet "cheese")
were featuring a new Vegan Honey Mustard dressing that was amazing. I
couldn't stop dipping baby carrots in this sweet, spicy dressing.
Other new vegan products include Cream Cheese and Sour Cream.
[ http://www.followyourheart.com ]

Vegan Basil Pesto? Oh, my! I've always made my own but have never seen
it commercially. It was a treat to find jars of vegan pesto at the
Meditalia booth. All of Meditalia's products are vegan and kosher. The
company relies on business partnerships among Israelis and Arabs and
products are made in Israel (To learn more about the business model
see [ http://www.peaceworks.com ]). My other
favorite products were a smoky Roasted Red Pepper Tapenade, a Sundried
Tomato Tapenade, and a Mushroom Spread that is still in the
development stage. [ http://peaceworks.com/products/meditalia/ ]

Chips seemed to be one of the featured foods at NPEE this year with
many booths featuring flavored potato or corn chips or gluten-free
chips. Two unique products were Pumpkin Seed Corn Chips and Kale
Chips. The Pumpkin Seed Chips were flavored with pumpkin, pumpkin
seeds, and spices and were pleasantly hot. They only had 80 milligrams
of sodium in a serving -- not bad for a chip.
[ http://www.laurelhillfoods.com ]. Kale chips were addictive. They
are made of kale flavored with spices and air- crisped at a low
temperature. I especially liked the Bombay Curry flavor. There's also
Kool Ranch and Zesty Nacho Kale. All flavors are vegan and
gluten-free. [ http://www.rhythmsuperfoods.com ]

Feeling in need of something sweet, I headed for the LaraBar booth and
was not disappointed. These bars, based on fruits, nuts, and spices
include the new vegan flavor Carrot Cake as well as perennial favorite
flavors like Cherry Pie and Banana Bread. [ http://www.larabar.com ]

Clif C Bars are also based on fruits and nuts and feature a layer of
organic fruit on a nut crust. One vegan bar is a light snack with 130
calories. They come in raspberry, apple, cherry pomegranate, and
blueberry flavors. [ http://www.clifbar.com ]

The NPEE was not lacking in vegan desserts. Among the unique products
I tasted were 2 kinds of frozen desserts, tapioca pudding, and
macaroons. Coconut Bliss is a soy and dairy-free frozen dessert,
sweetened with agave, and based on organic coconut milk. I definitely
approved of the Cappuccino flavor while my daughter voted for
Chocolate Hazelnut Fudge. Other flavors include Pineapple Coconut,
Cherry Amaretto, and Mint Galactica. [ http://www.coconutbliss.com ]
Blackwell's Organic Vegan Soy Gelato and Sorbetto are organic, creamy,
and delicious. We tried (and liked) Chocolate Gelato. Other flavors of
gelato include Coffee, Peanut Butter and Vanilla. Sorbetto flavors
include Blueberry, Pineapple, and Mango.
[ http://www.BlackwellsOrganic.com ]

Tucked away so that I missed it the first time through was Emmy's
Organics, makers of vegan macaroons. The macaroons have a simple
ingredient list -- coconut, coconut oil, agave, nuts, and flavorings
and taste like homemade macaroons. Unique flavors include Chai Spice
and Lemon-Ginger but I have to admit, Dark Cacao was my favorite.
[ http://www.emmysorganics.com ]

It was time to leave the food area behind. ChicoBag caught my eye on
my way out with their colorful display of reusable bags. Their Produce
Bag Starter Kit was especially appealing with 3 bags tucked into an
apple-shaped pouch. One bag, made from a mixture of hemp and cotton is
good for bringing home leafy greens. Another, made from recycled
plastic bottles keeps squash, broccoli, and carrots fresh. The mesh
bag, also made from recycled plastic bottles can be used to store
apples, onions, and potatoes. All bags are washable. Sometimes the
best products aren't food! [ http://www.chicobag.com ]

5) VEGAN NUTRITION AFTER HEART VALVE SURGERY

A reader wrote that he was going to have heart valve surgery in a few
weeks and asked about advice on vegan nutrition afterwards, as well as
communicating with hospital staff.

Reed Mangels replies: Good luck with your upcoming surgery. After the
surgery you should be able to resume your usual diet. Your doctor will
tell you if any modifications are needed. Make sure your doctor knows
that you are vegan so that a vegan diet can be ordered for you when
you are admitted to the hospital. You may want to speak to the
hospital dietitian prior to admission (several days before, if
possible), explain your situation, and ask how they will meet your
needs. You can find out if you are allowed to bring food from home.
Depending on what's available in the hospital, having your own supply
of soymilk and other staple foods may help. Ask what the best way is
to contact the dietary department once you're in the hospital and what
you should do if you get non-vegan foods.

6) VEGETARIAN JOB OPPORTUNITY

Vegan group seeks Jack or Jill of all trades good at multi-tasking for
part-time job 29 hours per week in Baltimore, Maryland. Staff person
clerically, and physically ships vegan books, Vegetarian Journal, and
other educational materials throughout the country. See
[ http://www.vrg.org/catalog/ ]

Does the billing, packing, mailing and marketing of items to consumers
and wholesalers.

Coordinates volunteers doing booths, events, and other activities
around the country. Answers consumer and media questions.

Please send resume, writing samples, and cover letter addressing your
short term and long term goals, interests, vegetarian and vegan
knowledge, skills strengths, and challenges to vrg@vrg.org.

7) VEGETARIAN MENUS FOR SCOUT JAMBOREE

We'd like to thank Elizabeth Jenkins for sharing the vegetarian menus
she created for a Scout Jamboree in New Zealand. To see the menus,
click here:

The Vegetarian Resource Group has produced a list of over 100
companies which offer vegetarian items for schools, restaurants,
hospitals, and other institutions. These businesses produce meatless
foods in large serving sizes which are easy to use by food services.

This list is a valuable resource for any chef who wants to serve more
meatless meals, or any consumer who wants to let their favorite eating
spot know about healthy foods they can offer.

9) VEGAN CHEF IFAYOMI'S EFFORTS FOR WORLD GO VEGAN WEEK

Thanks to Chef Ifoyami, vegan chef in Las Vegas and VRG member, for
sending us photos from her outreach during World Go Vegan Week
[ http://worldgoveganweek.org/ ]. Chef Ifayomi tabled at the Paseo
Verde library in Nevada where she passed out healthy fruit and snacks
as well as VRG's brochures.

Thanks to VRG volunteer Celina Chung for her help in converting these
articles into HTML! To volunteer to help with these kinds of
projects, please email heatherg@vrg.org.

11) VRG'S PRE-THANKSGIVING VEGETARIAN POTLUCK NOV 21ST

The Vegetarian Resource Group's annual Pre-Thanksgiving potluck dinner
is on Sunday, November 21st at 5:00 p.m. The event will be held at the
charming and historic North Baltimore Mennonite Church, 4615 Roland
Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21210.

Join us as we show our thanks for turkeys and all living creatures by
not eating them.

Admission is $4 per adult; children are admitted free.

Please bring a vegan dish that serves four as a contribution from EACH
member of your party. Write the ingredients of your dish on a 3" x 5"
card to accommodate guests with special diets. Also, please bring a
serving utensil for each dish. Paper plates, cups, napkins, and
plastic utensils will be provided; however, we suggest participants
please bring their own reusable dishes and utensils in order to reduce
waste.

If you are unable to cook, you may bring a prepared vegan dish for
four from a local natural foods store or restaurant. We also encourage
you to bring a non-perishable vegetarian canned food item to donate to
North Baltimore Mennonite Church, who will distribute it to those in
need.

Please call The Vegetarian Resource Group at (410) 366-8343 if you
need any more information about this event.

12) WOMEN'S MAGAZINE LOOKING TO INTERVIEW VEGETARIAN WOMEN AGES 40-50

A leading woman's magazine is looking for women, ages 40-50, who
follow a vegetarian diet. Please contact Karen at conlon4@me.com if
interested.

13) VRG'S VEGAN THANKSGIVING RECIPES

As you begin to prepare for your Thanksgiving dinner, here are some
recipes to make your holiday deliciously vegan!

14) INTERNATIONAL ANIMAL RIGHTS CONFERENCE

The first International Animal Rights Conference, organized by Save
Animals asbl [ http://www.saveanimals.lu/ ], will take place May 19th
to 22nd 2011 in Luxembourg at the Novotel Hotel in Luxembourg City.
The conference will give animal rights activists and people who are
interested in learning more about animal rights a platform for
international networking, the chance to participate in workshops,
listen to lectures about various animal rights topics and more.

16) STUDY OF USDA'S FUNDING PRIORITIES AND VEGETABLE CONSUMPTION GAP

The Produce for Better Health Foundation's 2010 GAP Analysis
[ http://www.foodpolitics.com/wp-content/uploads/2010-GAP-Analysis.pdf ],
correlates the gap between consumption and recommendations
to the ways in which USDA funding priorities ignore fruits and
vegetables. The report is hard to read and goes on and on,
but its thrust is understandable.

The Foundation wants the USDA to spend a greater proportion of
its dollars on fruits and vegetables, rather than on meat and
dairy foods. USDA's current allocations for subsidies look
like this:

Meat: 54.7%

Grains (which mostly go to feed animals): 18.0%

Dairy (non-butter): 11.4%

Fats and oils: 6.2%

Fruits and vegetables: 9.8%

These reports aim to align agricultural policy with health
policy, and about time too.

ABOUT THE VEGETARIAN RESOURCE GROUP

Our health professionals, activists, and educators work with
businesses and individuals to bring about healthful changes in your
school, workplace, and community. Registered dietitians and physicians
aid in the development of nutrition-related publications and answer
member and media questions about vegetarian diets. The Vegetarian
Resource Group is a non-profit organization. Financial support comes
primarily from memberships, donations, bequests, and book sales. The
Vegetarian Journal, a print magazine, is a benefit of membership in
The VRG. (For more information, please see the Vegetarian Journal
online.)

If you would like to make a donation, become a member, volunteer, or
find out more about The VRG, contact us at:

The contents of this newsletter, and our other publications, including
Vegetarian Journal, are not intended to provide personal medical
advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a qualified health
professional. We often depend on product and ingredient information
from company statements. It is impossible to be 100% sure about a
statement, info can change, people have different views, and mistakes
can be made. Please use your own best judgment about whether a product
is suitable for you. To be sure, do further research or confirmation
on your own.

ABOUT VRG-NEWS

VRG-NEWS is the e-mail newsletter of The Vegetarian Resource Group.
This is an announcement list so subscriber messages are not accepted
by the list. If you have a technical question about the list, please
contact us at vrg@vrg.org. If you have any suggestions, ideas, or
corrections to VRG-NEWS, please direct them to vrg@vrg.org. Thanks!

Do not include the {} when you enter your name. The newsletter will be
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Contents of VRG-NEWS are copyright 2010 by The Vegetarian Resource
Group. The newsletter may be freely distributed in electronic or print
form provided its contents are not altered and credit is given to The
Vegetarian Resource Group, P.O. Box 1463, Baltimore, MD 21203.

The contents of this website and our other publications, including Vegetarian Journal, are not intended to provide personal medical advice. Medical advice should be obtained from a qualified health professional. We often depend on product and ingredient information from company statements. It is impossible to be 100% sure about a statement, info can change, people have different views, and mistakes can be made. Please use your best judgement about whether a product is suitable for you. To be sure, do further research or confirmation on your own.

Any page on this site may be reproduced for non-commercial use if left intact with credit given to The Vegetarian Resource Group and each page linked to www.vrg.org